It seems to be the way of cable shows these days. The "Learning" Channel has abandoned it's eponymous programming for shows with the words "Honey" and "Boo-Boo." The Discovery Channel has seemed like a hold-out, opting for some vestige of verisimilitude with its shows. That sliver of "science" programming has been shrinking, however, and it may have finally gotten so small as to be of no consequence.
Enter their faux "documentary" about the EXTINCT shark, C. megalodon. Christie Wilcox gives a great write-up on why it was bad, and Wil Wheaton explains why - for many of us - this was such a disappointment.
There are places to find good science content - many of them are on the web in blog, or vod/podcast form.
It would be nice if there was a TV channel where the content is somewhat more important than some particular target demographic - wait, there may be. In honor of the "MegaFail" by Discovery, I've been motivated to make a donation to PBS*
*True, it's not going to solve all the problems, and given the number of "old crooners sing their pop hits from 1962" shows they have during pledge breaks, I may not be in their target demographic, either. But, if getting reasonably accurate science programming means putting a little more in PBS's tip jar, so be it.
And, because it bears repeating (in a Garret Morris voice), "Carcharocles megalodon is still dead."
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